Latest News From Dairy Production

The USDA Milk Production report shows that per cow milk production in the 24 major States for March was 3 less lbs. than last March. The 24 major States also had 71,000 head fewer than in March 2023.

The deadline to enroll for the USDA’s Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) and Supplemental Dairy Margin Coverage (SDMC) programs is approaching fast. The last day for producers to sign up is Monday, April 29, 2024.

USDA said this week cow-to-cow transmission is a factor in the spread of avian flu in dairy herds, but it still does not know exactly how the virus is being moved around.

Daisy Brand, a well-known sour cream and cottage cheese manufacture based out of Dallas, Texas, has announced its plans to build a new processing facility in Boone, Iowa.

Consistent biosecurity measures have always been needed on dairy farms. And, on the heels of several confirmed cases of the HPAI in dairy cattle this spring, the need for stepped-up biosecurity measures is essential. 

Lucas Fuess with RaboResearch says we are now in a far different state as producers have kept fewer replacement heifers and the milking herd numbers are the lowest they’ve been in four-plus years.

Comparing a leap year versus a non-leap year in 2023, February milk production was up 2.4%. However, on a per-day basis, production was down 1.1%. Milk cows totaled 9.3 million head, down 89,000 compared to a year ago.

Once a technology becomes a boring experience it means it has become proven, well-adopted, and easy to utilize. There are three "boring" technologies silently shaping the industry.

Technologies for the farm are not one size fits all. A few of the considerations that should be made before choosing the right technology is how the technology fits, works, and costs.

In affected cowherds, the illness impacts nearly 10% of the animals, causing reduced feed consumption and a 10% to 20% decline in milk production. 

Cow numbers declined last year and will likely decline further if milk prices remain low. Tightening heifer numbers and higher milk replacement cow prices may reduce the ability of farms to keep stalls full.

Technology can give labor productivity a welcomed boost.

The “old” AI (artificial insemination) is intended to land cows in the maternity pen. Now, the “new” AI (Artificial Intelligence) is being engaged to monitor them.

A new collaborative effort is helping fund rapid investigations of unexplained morbidity or mortality events in animals – unexpected deaths or illnesses that could signal emerging animal disease threats.

Since 2011, dairy cows evaluated using genetic testing has doubled every five years to exceed 1 million annually. That reduced sire generation interval to the point where genetic improvement is at the biological limit.

Travel the I-29 corridor and you’ll see an explosion of dairy cattle. As of January 2024, USDA announced that the total number of dairy cows in South Dakota totals 208,000, up 70.5% since 2019.

For the seventh consecutive month, U.S. milk production dropped. Also following suit was a decline in cow numbers, the lowest total since November 2019.

Higher prices for beef calves are incentivizing dairy producers to breed crossbred bull calves

Are you pulling your hair out because your milking parlor is constantly running behind schedule? This is one of the biggest frustrations and time and money drains for a lot of dairies. 

Chris Szydel began working as a milker at Pagels Ponderosa nearly 30 years ago. Today, he's the herd manager of both the Pagel Ponderosa and Hilltop Farm dairies and oversees three different parlors and 65 employees.

Oklahoma State's Derrell Peel points out with the U.S. beef cow herd the smallest since 1961 and the all cattle inventory the lowest since 1951, it’s setting the cattle market up for higher highs.

Environmental restrictions and low milk prices continue to challenge European milk producers.

Ag tech startup MyAnIML and USDA find first-of-its-kind facial recognition technology successfully analyzes cattle muzzles to predict illness.

According to Idaho Dairymen’s Association for the first time in a long time, production growth will likely come to a halt due to the financial stress and the negative margins producers out west are experiencing.

The USDA Milk Production Report highlighted a drop in milk production to 18.8 billion lbs. of milk. This reflects the sixth consecutive month of lower production and a decline of 0.3% from a year prior.

With the start of the new year comes the setting of resolutions for personal habits, behaviors and practices. Dairies can and should do the same for their operations. Here are six places to start.

Despite nearly 24 inches of snow, below-zero temperatures and raging winds that some people are affectionately calling “Death Storm #2,” Illinois livestock producers are finding ways to overcome the horrific conditions.

U.S. hay production in 2023 was 6.3% higher than the drought year of 2022, but remains 7.8% lower than the 10-year average. Hay stocks were higher in eight of the ten states, with decreases only in Kansas and Kentucky.

From 40 degrees above zero earlier this week in parts of the Great Plains to now forecasts for temps to fall 40 degrees below zero, ag meteorologist Drew Lerner says the frigid conditions will be dangerous for livestock.

Major winter storms are on the way early next week. With the possibility of blizzard conditions to flooding in the southeast, the impact on agriculture could be two-fold: good news for drought but stress to livestock.

From the intense heat in the South to drought blanketing much of the U.S., weather stole headlines again in 2023. What caused such extreme conditions? One meteorologist explains the culprits of the heat and drought.

Minnesota ended 2023 with 146 fewer dairy farm permits than the state did at the beginning of the year. The big-ticket question is with dairy’s razor-thin financial margins, how many more dairies will exit in 2024?

A big question on the minds of many decision makers on the dairy is: Should one invest more heavily in hiring highly skilled cow people or in adopting technology that can perform tasks that good cow people could do?

Keeping cows, calves and employees comfortable during the winter months is a balancing act. However finding the right combination between keeping animals warm while also providing adequate air exchange is essential.

Animal Agriculture Alliance releases reports from 2023 animal rights conferences. Food chain urged to prepare for activism in 2024 including "open rescue," legislative campaigns and pressure to drop meat from menus.

According to the latest U.S. Milk Production Report the number of milk cows on farms in the U.S. was 9.36 million head, 44,000 head less year-over-year and 10,000 head less than in October 2023.

These 4 management tips can help you keep cows productive through cold conditions.

Producers are hoping for stronger milk prices next year. First quarter milk price looks less than promising - causing producers to turn to plan B which is hoping DMC payouts generate a healthy sum in the year ahead.

Despite the myths, you can have both high production and high fertility.

Four grants have been awarded by ICASA totaling roughly $1.15 million to identify why liver abscesses occur and develop diagnostic tools to enable informed decision-making to treat the condition.

Organic food sales have grown over time, but it's still only accounts for 2.5% to 6% of the food market. How much is organic farming growing year over year? John Phipps answers a viewer's question in Customer Support.

As global dairy companies set a new goal to trace and reduce emissions, U.S. dairy researchers say feeding a small amount of red seaweed may be the secret to cutting methane emissions from dairy cattle by up to half.

The U.S. dairy cow herd has reached its lowest point since January 2022. Following suit, milk production per cow in the 24 major states declined by 3 lbs. per cow month-over-month.

More calves born on dairies than ever before are eventually headed to feedyards these days. Performance and profitability merits sending healthy animals from the calf-rearing stage to the feedlot.

Five tips to fine-tune your transition cow health protocols.

What is motivating the increased levels of components on U.S. dairies? Jim Salfer, dairy extension educator at the University of Minnesota, says the answer at the farm level is multifaceted.

The problem occurs in nearly 50% of cows in the first 24 hours after calving, says Jesse Goff, DVM and ISU professor emeritus. He details four nutrition strategies to prevent or treat the problem so cows aren't culled.

While the September Milk Production report showed a decline of 0.2% from last year, it also showed a drop in cow numbers, The big winner was South Dakota which produced 21 million more lbs., with 12,000 additional cows.

Manure used to be viewed as a nuisance that had to be dealt with. Now, as fertilizer prices head north, it's viewed as a regenerative way to cut costs while replenishing needed nutrients.

“We most abolish animal ag to prevent the next pandemic.” While animal rights supporters make up a small percentage, they are loud and can mislead consumers with messages like this. Here's the 2023 activist roundup.